Session 16
16
Preparation for field
study visit
SESSION
Aim
To complete preparation of materials and activities
for the field study visit
40
Information about the group
About the group
• Date established
• Number of members
(including number of members present
today, numbers of men and women)
• Aims
• Activities
Levels of literacy
Objectives
■ To prepare for small group discussion based on
a double page of a PILLARS Guide.
■ To consider appropriate energisers that could
be used to relax people and create a good
atmosphere.
■ To consider how to ensure that the small group
discussions are followed by a practical response.
Materials
■ Flipchart paper, marker pens
Pre-prepared flipchart:
40 Information about the group (page 46)
Handout 8: (see Appendix C, page 69)
• How many members of the group are
literate (able to read and write a simple
letter) in the national language? In local
languages?
• How many of these are women, and how
many are men?
Access to information
• Where does the group obtain new ideas
about health, agriculture, or other issues
that relate to the group’s purpose and
activities?
• Would people be interested in printed
information in the local language?
• Which particular issues would they like
printed information to address?
Field study visit
Information about the group
The PILLARS Guides
PROGRAMME
At the beginning of the session, all the details
regarding transport, the group activities and timing
need to be explained.
Ensure that participants are clear about the timing
of the visit and about their individual roles and
responsibilities within each group.
Refer back to Chart 37 (page 42) to remind them of
the different parts of the visit.
Present Chart 40 and also provide it as Handout 8
(page 69). Suggest that participants discover as
much as possible of the following information
about the group.
46
Encourage the participants to be open-minded and
flexible. They may have to adjust their expectations
and plans on arrival, when they meet the groups
they will be working with. Encourage them to build
relationships with the group members and to
respond to their needs and interests as much as
possible.
For the remainder of this session, participants will
have time in their groups to prepare materials
needed for the small group discussion and will
consider how it will be conducted. If there is time,
each group can practise leading their discussion in
front of the other participants, and invite feedback.
FACILITATION SKILLS WORKBOOK
Session 17
17
Field study visit
SESSION
Aim
To practise using PILLARS Guides with local
community groups.
Objectives
■ To build understanding of information needs and
priorities within grassroots community groups
■ To gain confidence in sharing information in a
variety of ways
PROGRAMME
This session will be slightly longer than the usual
1 hour 45 minutes. The visit will last approximately
2 hours, and additional time will be needed for
travel. It will follow the timings described on Chart
37, Session 14, page 42.
Remind the participants that just one person from
each working group should take notes during the
visit to record information about the group, about
the discussion and about the group’s views on the
PILLARS Guides. They should do this discreetly, so
that the community groups are not made to feel
uncomfortable. Each working group will have time
to prepare and present their feedback after the visit.
■ To gain confidence in using information from
PILLARS Guides with community groups
■ To explore a community group’s response to
using PILLARS Guides
Materials
■ Copies of Footsteps and PILLARS to leave with
each group
■ One notepad per discussion group
Handout 8 (see Appendix C, page 69)
Field study visit
Information about the group
The PILLARS Guides
■ Posters and other materials needed for
facilitating small group discussion
Photo: Isabel Carter, Tearfund
Setting off on a field visit, Uganda.
FACILITATION SKILLS WORKBOOK
47
Session 18
18
Feedback and reflection
on field study visit
SESSION
Aim
41
●
Was the topic chosen appropriate for the
community group?
●
How well did people participate in the
discussion?
●
What was most difficult about facilitating
a group?
●
What problems were faced and how were
they overcome?
●
What did the community groups think of the
PILLARS Guides?
●
What was learnt from the community
feedback about the discussion process?
●
What was the most important thing learnt
during the field study visit?
To share the learning from the field study visits.
Objectives
■ To reflect on the strengths and weaknesses of
the group discussions.
■ To reflect on the strengths and weaknesses of
the PILLARS Guides as a stimulus for discussion
by local community groups.
Materials
Feedback on the field
study visit
Pre-prepared flipchart:
41 Feedback on the field study visit (page 48)
PROGRAMME
Allow the participants time to relax after the visit.
Provide time for them to prepare presentations on
what they learned through the visits.
Then ask each group in turn to spend 15–20
minutes feeding back on the field visit using the
questions on Chart 41.
48
Encourage other participants to ask questions after
each presentation so that everyone can learn from
the experience. This exercise should give them
confidence in adapting and using the Guides with
different target audiences, to meet different needs.
Conclude the session by encouraging participants
to fill out their coloured learning and action cards.
FACILITATION SKILLS WORKBOOK
Session 19
42
Opportunities for using
the PILLARS Guides
WH
AT?
19
Opportunities for using
PILLARS Guides with
community groups
SESSION
?
HOW
WHO?
Aim
WHERE?
To discuss how the learning from the training can
be taken forward, both collectively and in
participants’ individual situations.
WHEN?
Objectives
■ To help the participants identify specific
community groups with whom they could use
the Guides.
■ To help the participants identify which Guides
would be most relevant to the groups they are
working with.
■ To help the participants identify ways to
integrate use of the Guides into existing
development work.
Materials
■ From Building the capacity of local groups,
copies of page: Planning activities with the
Five Finger method (C14)
Encourage them to discuss the following in more
detail:
WHAT
WHAT ACTION IS BEING PLANNED?
WHY IS IT NEEDED?
Ask participants to think about the different
community groups that they are a part of or that
they work with. Would members be interested in
using PILLARS Guides? Why? How would it help
the group achieve its aims? What needs would it
address? What will members know, think and do as
a result of using the PILLARS Guide(s)? How can
the Guides help the participants achieve their aims
in other areas of development work?
Pre-prepared flipcharts:
42 Opportunities for using the PILLARS Guides
(page 49)
Handout 9 (see Appendix C, page 70)
Opportunities for using the PILLARS Guides
PROGRAMME
Activity 1 hour 45 minutes
OPPORTUNITIES FOR USING THE PILLARS GUIDES
Photo: Sophie Clarke, Tearfund
Divide the participants by geographical area of origin
or by organisation and ask them to spend 45 minutes
considering the questions on Chart 42, which can also
be given as Handout 9.
Using role-play to promote PILLARS Guides.
FACILITATION SKILLS WORKBOOK
49
Session 19
HOW
HOW WILL THE WORK BE CARRIED OUT?
WHAT RESOURCES ARE NEEDED?
Think about how the Guides should be introduced
to community groups, so that they understand their
relevance to their situation and have ownership of
the materials and the discussion process.
Think about the information needs and interests of
the group, and the level of education and literacy of
the group members. Which Guide is going to be
most relevant to them? Is this Guide available in
the local language? How many copies are needed?
WHO
WHO IS GOING TO CARRY OUT THIS WORK?
DO THEY NEED TRAINING?
Who is going to facilitate the group discussions?
Perhaps the participants themselves will be doing
this, but are there other group members with the
time and skills needed to lead the group through a
PILLARS Guide? How could participants share the
knowledge and skills they have learnt during the
training to help others with facilitation skills?
50
WHERE
WHERE IS THE WORK TO BE DONE?
In which community, and with which group could
the Guides be used? Where does the group meet?
WHEN
WHEN IS THE WORK GOING TO BE DONE?
HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE?
When does the group usually meet? Could they use
PILLARS Guides during their regular meetings?
How long will it take them to work through a whole
PILLARS Guide together?
Ask each group to share their ideas with the other
participants. Ask individual participants to develop
a plan of action based on these five questions as
they consider how they will use the Guides in their
own community.
FACILITATION SKILLS WORKBOOK
Session 20
20
Opportunities for
promoting the PILLARS
Guides
SESSION
Present Chart 43, which provides some ideas.
43
●
Promoting PILLARS
Within local communities
• Identify groups who can use the Guides to
achieve particular aims
• Introduce the Guides available and explain
how they can be used
Aim
To help participants reflect on how they will share
what they have learnt during the training with
others.
●
Within a facilitating organisation or church
• Identify specific opportunities for
promoting PILLARS
• Train others to use the Guides
Objectives
■ To help participants identify specific ways to
promote the Guides in their communities and
organisations.
●
To other organisations or churches
• Identify specific opportunities for
promoting PILLARS
■ To identify opportunities for promoting the
Guides to other agencies.
This can be explained in more detail:
■ To help participants consider how they might
improve their facilitation skills and pass on the
learning and skills to others.
Materials
Pre-prepared flipcharts:
43 Promoting PILLARS (page 51)
44 Peer support (page 52)
45 Ways of developing your facilitation skills
(page 52)
From Building the capacity of local groups,
copies of page: Planning activities with the
Five Finger method (C14) (See session 19)
Handout 10 (see Appendix C, page 71)
Improving your facilitation skills: a self-assessment
PROGRAMME
Activity 45 minutes
WITHIN LOCAL COMMUNITIES
■ Give an introduction to the PILLARS Guides – to
the topics, the layout, the different ways in which
they can be used.
■ Explain how people are likely to benefit from
using them and the educational advantages of
going through a Guide together.
■ Develop the specific aims of using PILLARS
with the community group in question.
■ Ensure that people are informed about the
meetings well in advance; that they know where
and when they are taking place and that they are
in a place and at a time that is convenient for
group members.
■ Be committed to building relationships with
different members of the community.
■ Avoid creating unrealistic expectations.
PROMOTING PILLARS
• In the same groups as the previous session and
using the same five questions, ask participants to
consider how they will promote PILLARS:
■ within their local communities
■ within their facilitating organisations / churches
■ to other organisations / churches
FACILITATION SKILLS WORKBOOK
WITHIN A FACILITATING ORGANISATION
OR CHURCH
■ Identify specific opportunities to share the vision
for, and aims of, PILLARS.
■ Train others:
• How can the knowledge and skills learnt
during the training be passed on to others?
51
Session 20
• Who would benefit from this learning?
• What specific opportunities are there to
do this?
TO OTHER ORGANISATIONS OR CHURCHES
■ What opportunities are there for networking, and
for sharing the vision and aims of PILLARS?
Developing their facilitation skills
30 minutes
During the course of the training, participants will
have the opportunity to develop their facilitation
skills. But how can they continue to enhance these
skills, following the workshop? Present Chart 45,
and ask participants to add to this list.
■ Are there events already planned where
PILLARS could be promoted?
45
Ongoing support 30 minutes
Encourage participants to think of practical ways in
which they can support each other in their role as
facilitators following this workshop. Present Chart
44, which provides some suggestions.
44
●
●
Visiting each other to watch each other
facilitate and evaluate each other’s progress
●
Organising refresher training days to share
practical experience of facilitating
discussions using PILLARS Guides and to
build on the initial knowledge and skills gained
●
●
Practise
●
Become more self-aware
●
Set specific learning objectives and evaluate
progress
●
Watch and learn from others, eg: visit a
group in another community
●
Ask for feedback from the group and from
other facilitators
●
Be open to correction and willing to learn
from mistakes
Peer support
Setting up a regular newsletter or an email
network to share learning and ideas
Organising an event to promote PILLARS to
the different organisations and communities
to which they belong
Ask participants what additional support they
might need from the facilitating organisation. Do
they feel that they need further training? Do they
need more PILLARS Guides translated into their
local language, or more Guides printed and
distributed?
Ways of developing
facilitation skills
Remind participants that although facilitation skills
and tools are important, the facilitator’s ability to
build good relationships with the group, to
encourage and support them, is key to the group’s
success. If a facilitator has a genuine desire to
serve people and see them grow, the group will feel
confident about trying out new ideas and taking on
new roles.
Give out Handout 10 (page 71), which participants
can use as a checklist to help participants assess
and improve their facilitation skills.
Refer to the section on MENTORING AND FOLLOWUP TRAINING on page 57. Discuss and agree on
how the peer and official mentoring process will be
conducted, and when follow-up training will be
held.
52
FACILITATION SKILLS WORKBOOK